· December 1 to 31, 2026 ·
December in the Pioneer Valley
65 things still on this month, from Bright Nights to First Night.
How we check
Every date and hour is read off the organizer’s or venue’s own page, never a listings site. Where nobody published hours, we show that rather than guess.
Hanukkah
Dec 4 to 12
Eight nights beginning at sundown Friday Dec 4. 2 events in this guide.
Christmas
Friday Dec 25
Christmas Eve on Thursday. Tree farms close by the 24th; taprooms post their holiday hours.
New Year's Eve
Thursday Dec 31
First Night Northampton runs noon to midnight, with fireworks at 6:15pm.
- Fri Dec 4 to Sun Dec 6
- Hanukkah begins at sundown Friday. Tree lightings across the Valley.
- Fri Dec 11 to Sun Dec 13
- The Nutcracker, Welcome Yule and the busiest concert weekend.
- Fri Dec 18 to Sun Dec 20
- Winter Solstice on Monday the 21st. Last weekend for tree farms.
- Thu Dec 24 to Sun Dec 27
- Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the weekend after.
- Thu Dec 31 to Fri Jan 1
- New Year's Eve and First Night Northampton.
· Start here ·
Pick where, when and what. What is on in the Pioneer Valley in December 2026, hour by hour.
Search a town to sort by drive time.
2 of 65 things · Dec 4 to 6 · Hanukkah
Hours change, and farms close for weather. We read every time off the venue’s own website or its own event page, but check with them before you drive. Where a venue does not publish hours, we show that rather than guess. Tell us if something changed.
Showing Sat Dec 5. 1 things on.
We do this every week.
This guide is one month's worth of checking. The letter is every Tuesday: what is on in the Valley, checked the same way, free.
· Then decide ·
Build your own December, or pick a plan.
Hanukkah · SpringfieldFri Dec 4 to Sat Dec 12
Hanukkah 2026
First light is before Shabbat candles on Dec 4; final candles Fri Dec 11 afternoon before Shabbat. Calendar fact for the month, not a venue card.
First candle at sundown Fri Dec 4; ends nightfall Sat Dec 12. Eight nights.
Admission not published
From chabad.org
Hanukkah · SpringfieldFri Dec 4Free
Springfield JCC First Light (2026 details pending)
Outdoor community candle lighting at the largest outdoor menorah in Western Mass, free and open to all. JCC page says "Stay tuned for more information about our 2026 event." Do not print a clock time until the JCC posts 2026 details.
Hours not published.
Free · Springfield JCC, Springfield, MA
From springfieldjcc.org
Still to come
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day community meals, more taproom holiday hours, and tree lighting ceremonies post through early December, and the guide adds them as they do.
More Valley guides
- Fourth of July: fireworks, parades, celebrations
- Labor Day Weekend: what is open, things to do
- October Guide: Halloween, mazes, apple and pumpkin picking
- November Guide: CiderDays, craft fairs, Thanksgiving weekend
- Pioneer Valley Breweries: taprooms, brewpubs, tasting rooms
- Farmers Markets: by day of the week
- Coffee Shops: independent spots, by town
- Breakfast Spots: diners and cafes, by town
- Pick Your Own Farms: what is in season now
- Splash Pads: every free splash and spray pad
- Food Pantries + Drives: every pantry and drive in the Valley
- Prop 2½ Tracker: override votes town by town
- The Archive: every past issue of the newsletter